Fiji has appointed its first female Conservator of Forests, Sanjana Lal, as the acting Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Fisheries and Forestry. Lal, who has almost 30 years of experience in the civil service, takes over from Rovereto Nayacalevu, who resigned last month.
Lal holds a Bachelor of Forestry Science from the Australian National University and Postgraduate Diplomas in Business Leadership, Public Administration, and Conservation Biology from the University of the South Pacific. She received her appointment letter from the Public Service Commission (PSC) and expressed how honored she felt by the recognition.
“I am humbled that the PSC deemed me deserving of this post,” she said.
Despite having other plans, Lal stepped up to meet the ministry’s needs, especially with the new fiscal year approaching in less than three weeks.
“I am also grateful for the opportunity. When the Government calls, we must step up and serve the nation. I am merely holding the fort until the ministry or PSC finds an official candidate for the position,” she added.
PSC Chair Luke Rokovada stated that Lal was the right choice for the role due to her qualifications and experience.
“Ms. Lal has the qualifications, knowledge, and experience to assume the role, and I am confident that she will be able to perform the duties required of her as the Acting PS for Fisheries and Forestry,” he said.